Lifestyle Desk – It is impossible to talk about Indian sweets and not mention Gulab Jamun. Gulab Jamun remains the first choice of people during weddings, festivals or any special occasion. However, making soft, spongy and juice-filled Gulab Jamun at home like the market becomes a challenge for many people. There is often a complaint that gulab jamuns burst while frying, remain raw from inside or become hard. Actually, some small mistakes are responsible behind this. If the right technique is adopted then perfect confectionaries like Gulab Jamun can be made at home also.
To make Gulab Jamun, first of all it is important to choose good quality khoya or mawa. Using too dry or too wet mawa can spoil the texture of the jamun. If you are using ready-made mix, follow the instructions given on the packet properly.
Confectioners say that the Gulab Jamun mixture should not be too hard or too loose. Prepare soft dough by mixing mawa and flour. Do not knead it for too long, because excessive kneading can make the berries hard. After the mixture is ready, keep it covered for 5 to 10 minutes, so that the ingredients set properly.
While making Gulab Jamun balls, there should not be any crack in them. If there are cracks, the berries may burst while frying. Apply some ghee on your hands and make smooth and uniform balls. Keep all the berries of approximately equal size so that they cook evenly.
The biggest reason for bursting of Gulab Jamun is excessive heating of oil or ghee. Keep ghee or oil in the pan on medium heat. If the oil is too hot, the berries will brown quickly from outside and will remain raw from inside. At the same time, they can break in less hot oil. Therefore, frying slowly on medium flame is considered the best method.
After putting the gulab jamuns in the pan, keep stirring them slowly so that their color becomes uniform from all sides. Frying on high flame can make their outer part hard. Fry patiently until golden brown.
Gulab Jamun syrup should neither be too thick nor too thin. A syrup lighter than one string is considered the best. The syrup should be slightly hot, because if put in very hot or cold syrup, the berries do not absorb the juice properly.
If these easy tips are kept in mind, then soft, spongy and juicy gulab jamuns can be prepared at home in the very first attempt. Made with the right technique and a little patience, this sweet can win the hearts of family and guests.
